EPB announced Friday that their 100% fiber optic network is now built to all areas of EPB’s 600 square mile customer service area. With a final fiber optic splice in Haletown late Thursday afternoon, EPB Fiber Optics services are now available to all portions of their service area two years earlier than planned.
“An initiative that began years ago with planning and research followed by the design and build out of our fiber optic network is complete and our entire community, both urban and rural, now has access to the most cutting edge technology available,” said Katie Espeseth, EPB’s vice president of Fiber Optics.
“While we continue to work one-on-one with apartment complexes and condominiums to ensure their residents have an opportunity to access our services, we can proudly say that EPB Fiber Optics next generation communications services are now available to our entire service area.”
EPB began deploying fiber optics for their smart grid and communications initiative in 2008. EPB Fiber Optics was launched in September 2009 and EPB’s Fi-Speed Internet 1,000 service (also known as 1 Gigabit) was announced in September 2010.
Today, EPB Fiber Optics provides next generation communications services to over 24,000 homes and 2,500 businesses. EPB is currently installing equipment for their smart grid initiative, which is expected to be complete by the fall of 2012.